Episode 144
Three hours earlier,
Llewellyn, despite having graduated, was still at the academy. He had ventured from the familiar and nurturing environment of Lucid Academy to the more demanding and unforgiving Gaia Academy.
‘Should I drop out?’
No, he was too close to graduation, just one year left.
And he needed a prestigious degree to secure a position as Minister of Finance when Elonia became Empress.
“Ugh, Brother gets to laze around at the Imperial Palace with Elonia, while I’m stuck here!”
He wasn’t exactly lazing around. He was being “utilized,” to put it mildly.
Elonia had two knights, and Alberich, as Captain of the Imperial Knight Squadron, wasn’t her personal bodyguard, so they rarely saw each other. But Llewellyn, oblivious to Alberich’s situation, continued to wallow in self-pity.
“I’m going to visit the Imperial Palace.”
He had been supposed to graduate from Gaia Academy last year. It was a four-year program. But he was still a fourth-year student, thanks to his habit of running away.
Theodore, who had lured him to Gaia Academy, was constantly nagging him to graduate. But Llewellyn, undeterred, decided to escape again.
“It’s been a while since I visited the Imperial Palace.”
He hummed cheerfully as he got dressed.
He had heard Elonia had been busy with the tax audit. His mother had been summoned to the palace and hadn’t returned for a week.
‘I haven’t heard from Elonia since she graduated.’
He had seen her every weekend at the academy, but now, she was gone. And whenever he tried to contact her, she was either busy or unavailable, Sarah answering the calls instead.
It had only been a couple of months, but it felt like a year.
He checked his reflection in the mirror, smoothing down his hair.
“She’s probably not there, but I should bring her some pudding. There’s a new shop in the academy city. It’s quite good.”
It was a perfect opportunity to show his caring older brother side. He left the academy, humming cheerfully, like a ten-year-old.
“I’m sorry, Young Master, but Her Highness is currently unavailable.”
Llewellyn, despite his cheerful mood and the pudding he had carefully chosen, was met with Sarah’s disappointing words.
He had expected it. It couldn’t be helped. He offered her the box of pudding.
“Then you can have this, Sarah. Share it with the maids and Lady Bereta… Huh?”
He noticed something strange. Elonia’s maids had changed.
Or rather, one of them had returned. He had heard she had resigned three years ago.
“Alisa, you’re back? But where’s Vivian?”
Alisa fidgeted nervously, but Sarah, smiling calmly, changed the subject.
“Yes, she returned a few days ago. Vivian is on vacation. Would you like some tea, Young Master?”
“Sure.”
Llewellyn nodded. Professor Theodore had probably noticed his absence by now, but he didn’t care. Elonia was still years away from becoming Empress, so he could afford to delay his graduation.
While Sarah prepared the tea, Llewellyn greeted Alisa cheerfully.
“It’s been a while, Alisa. How have you been?”
“I-I’ve been well, thank you.”
Alisa’s flustered response made Cecilia and Canaria quickly usher her out of the room.
“We have some work to do, Young Master. Please continue your conversation with Lady Sarah.”
“Thank you for the pudding!”
The door closed, and Llewellyn and Sarah were alone. Llewellyn frowned.
“What was that about? I’ve seen that reaction before…”
“Y-Young Master, here’s your tea!”
Sarah, sensing his suspicion, quickly brought the tea and tried to change the subject.
“Her Highness has had many visitors today. She would have been happy to see you.”
“Oh? Who else came?”
Llewellyn blinked, and Sarah, realizing her mistake, covered her mouth with her hand.
“Who was it?”
Llewellyn, persistent as ever, wouldn’t let it go. He had always been good at getting what he wanted. Sarah, sighing, finally confessed,
“…High Priest Valerian.”
“Valerian? What did he want with Elonia? When did he leave?”
“W-well…”
“Tell me! And where did Elonia go?”
Llewellyn, with Elonia gone, was the most stubborn person in the Imperial Princess’s Palace. Sarah, after a moment of hesitation, replied,
“He left just a few minutes ago. …He was looking for Her Highness, but then he asked to see Prince Simon.”
“Prince Simon? Why is he at the palace…?”
Just then,
“Y-Young Master, this is unacceptable! Her Highness is not here, and you can’t just barge in like this…! Sir Ricardo, why aren’t you stopping him…!”
It was Garnethia’s voice. She seemed to be asking for Ricardo’s help, but Ricardo wasn’t cooperating, and the door burst open.
Sarah, recognizing the intruder, gasped and stood up.
“Young Master Luneus!”
“…Young Master Luneus?”
Pale complexion, a mask and an eye patch covering half his face, an unsettling aura.
Llewellyn’s eyes narrowed. Cielun, ignoring his glare, asked urgently,
“Lady Fortrun, do you know where Her Highness is?”
“I-I don’t, but you can’t be here! This is a private area!”
The drawing-room was connected to Elonia’s bedroom.
Llewellyn might be allowed to enter, but not Cielun. Garnethia tried to stop him, but it was futile.
This wasn’t even Garnethia’s responsibility. Sarah, glaring at Ricardo, who was standing behind Cielun, shouted,
“Sir Ricardo, why did you let him in?! This is Her Highness’s private quarters!”
“I apologize, Lady Sarah, but it’s an emergency. Please tell me where she is.”
Ricardo’s face was unusually serious. Sarah hesitated, and Llewellyn, his eyes narrowed, stared at Cielun.
‘He looks familiar…’
He had seen him at the debutante ball, but he felt like he had seen him somewhere else before.
“She’s not here? And why are you at the palace, Sir Ricardo?”
“Ah, Young Master, it’s been a while. I’ll explain later. Lady Sarah, please tell us where she is.”
“I can’t tell you either, Sir Ricardo. You’re still injured. Her Highness ordered you to rest!”
“What? Ricardo is injured?”
It was chaos, everyone talking over each other.
Cielun, amid the confusion, pleaded with Sarah,
“Please, Her Highness is in danger! Tell me where she went!”
But Sarah was adamant. Llewellyn, his gaze fixed on Cielun, finally realized,
‘The hostage prince.’
The prince from Heilan, the prince who was supposedly murdered in his dormitory.
“Huh.”
Llewellyn scoffed, and Lucius, recognizing him, greeted him calmly,
“It’s been a while, Young Master.”
His casual demeanor only fueled Llewellyn’s anger.
“It’s been a while my ass, what are you doing here—?”
“It concerns Her Highness’s safety. Please put aside your personal feelings and listen to me.”
“…What?”
Llewellyn, his face a mask of disbelief, was about to tell him to get lost when Ricardo, his eyes filled with a desperate plea, chimed in.
Using Elonia against him? Llewellyn was furious, but as an older brother, he couldn’t ignore it.
He ran a hand through his hair roughly, then turned to Sarah.
“Sarah, I’ll take care of these two.”
“Young Master!”
Before Sarah could protest, Llewellyn dragged Lucius and Ricardo away.
“Ugh…!”
Crash! Elonia narrowly avoided the chimera’s attack.
‘If only I had my sword…!’
She wouldn’t be struggling against this oversized beast if she had a weapon.
‘And why isn’t my magic working?!’
Artius’s words echoed in her mind. You might be their target.
She had to admit, he had been right. The magic circle had transported her to a place where her magic was suppressed.
The concentration of Holy Power in this arena was too high.
‘This must be Tristan’s domain.’
He was probably watching her from somewhere, waiting for her to exhaust her strength, waiting to claim her as his sacrifice.
“I won’t be used so easily…!”
She noticed a sword embedded in the chimera’s back.
“…!”
That was it. She could use that.
Her eyes gleamed with a predatory intensity. She didn’t have time to wonder why there was a sword in the chimera’s back.
‘I have to kill it…!’
Crash! The chimera raised its paw, trying to crush her, but Elonia dodged it, using its paw as a foothold to climb onto its back.
The chimera, as if it had a flea on its back, thrashed and bucked, its wings flapping wildly. Elonia, clinging to its thick hide, crawled towards the sword.
‘Just a little closer…!’
She stretched out her hand, and her fingers wrapped around the hilt.
‘Yes…!’
She had a weapon, and a stable platform. She pulled the sword out, and,
“ROAR!”
“…!”
The chimera shrieked, its cry much louder and more pained than before. Its body lurched violently, throwing Elonia off. She landed gracefully on the floor.
And then the chimera collapsed.
Elonia, her sword raised, waited for it to get up, but it didn’t move.
It was dead.
‘…That was easy?’
She was stunned. All she had done was pull out a sword.
‘…What?’
She sheathed her sword and examined the chimera. It hadn’t turned into dust like the other creatures.
‘The research log mentioned a chimera core as an ingredient.’
This must be that type of chimera.
Elonia, without hesitation, cut open the chimera’s chest.
A dark green orb, much larger than the ones she had seen before, but similar in color and texture, rolled out.
She wrapped it in a handkerchief and picked it up, her face grim.
‘This is the ingredient for the potion of luck…’
She had been at a loss after reading the research log, the chimera core an unfamiliar component. She hadn’t expected to find one here. It was an unexpected boon.
‘I have to go back.’
She had everything she needed. Just as she turned to leave,
The floor beneath her feet glowed with a sickly green light.
It was the same magic circle that had brought her here.
“This leech…!”
She had known it wouldn’t be that easy. She cursed inwardly.
She couldn’t escape the magic circle. It followed her wherever she went.
And she only had a rusty sword.
If it transported her to Tristan, would she be able to escape?
Could she defeat him when even two apostles couldn’t?
Hundreds of worst-case scenarios flashed through her mind.
‘I shouldn’t have said that to Dad…!’
She hadn’t expected this to be her last mission, but the thought crossed her mind. Just then,
“Your Highness!”
A voice, filled with urgency, called out her name.
She turned towards the sound.
It was Lucius, his body half-emerging from a swirling vortex of light, his hand outstretched.
“Lucius, what are you doing here?!”
“I’ll explain later! Take my hand!”
He had never sounded so desperate, so frantic. Elonia, compelled by his urgency, reached out and took his hand.
A bright light, as pure and clear as spring water, enveloped her hand, and the magic circle beneath her feet flickered, its green glow turning murky.
The two lights clashed, and then, the arena fell silent.